(Yicai Global) Dec. 4 -- China has appealed to the World Trade Organization (WTO) for dispute settlement in response to the US' denial of China's market economy status, China News Service cited Xu Hong, director of the Ministry of Commerce's Department of Treaty and Law say saying in an interview on Dec. 2.

The country is strongly dissatisfied and resolutely opposes the Trump administration's formal rejection of its efforts to secure market economy treatment under global trade rules.

The core of the dispute concerns whether the EU has the right to continue to use the alternative country approach when conducting anti-dumping investigations into China under Article 15 of the China's Accession Protocol following its expiry on Dec. 11, 2016, Xu added.

In its written statement, the United States has repeatedly rejected the rules of WTO and has confused the issue of alternative country with market economy status. "The Chinese side expresses strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition," the official said.

Since China's opening up, the country has established and continuously perfected a socialist market economy system, which is widely recognized among the international community. China urges WTO members such as the US and European countries to abide by international commitments and effectively implement WTO obligations to end the discriminatory use of the alternative country status in anti-dumping investigations related of China, the official stressed.